Handwriting Practice

Is your child struggling to practice their handwriting skills because sitting down to write letters is just too boring? Well, we have some tips to encourage handwriting practice! One of the best ways to encourage handwriting practice is with board games.

Tips for Handwriting Practice

One favorite happens to be the game “Guess Who?”.  You can play this game in a more non-traditional manner encouraging children to write their questions instead of say them. Pretend as if you’ve “lost your voice” for the entirety of the game. The child then has to work on formation, orientation, spacing, and punctuation while writing out their questions. For example, instead of saying “Does your character have red hair?” the child has to write this question and show to their partner.

Does your child love to color and draw pictures? To encourage further learning, encourage the child to illustrate and write a book. Have your child draw a picture at the top, color, and label the parts. Then have them write one to two sentences on each page, creating a story! Laminate and bind to store for memories or to read during bedtime routines.

Are you familiar with the game “Spot It”? Turn this game into a “silent game” just like “Guess Who?”. Instead of having kids yell out their answers, be the first to write down the answer and then slap the cards. This will encourage speed and efficiency of handwriting. You can even have your child re-write their responses to work on accuracy and formation of their written responses.

Does your family often play scrabble or Bananagrams? If you haven’t guessed yet, make it a handwriting game! After scoring and counting up the points for each turn, have your child write their words on their lined paper to earn additional points. Encourage accuracy of letter formation but give bonus points for letters written correctly on the first try!

Handwriting can be a difficult and mundane task to practice. If you can implement these games and strategies into your weekly family routines, it may make the fight to practice writing less dreadful. Good luck and happy writing! You can also find toys that will help with pencil grasp and writing here.